Anthony Iwuoma
Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to create special courts to fast-track action on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases as well as and decimate all obstacles against the education of the girl-child.
The First Lady made the call in Abuja at the second annual conference of the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum (NGWF).
She accused the government of not doing enough to fully implement its mandate against ending SGBV in the country.
She noted that the rising cases of SGBV had continued to be of national concern despite the declaration of a state of emergency by the Federal Government on June 10, 2020.
According to Mrs. Buhari, every state in Nigeria must see the need to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.
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She added that every local government and senatorial district should also consider setting up centres where cases of SGBV could be reported.
“As a result of this entire advocacy, the NGF declared a state of emergency against GBV on June 10, 2020. His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, supported the call for urgent action through the establishment of an inter-ministerial Presidential Task Force on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, which has yet to be fully implemented. It is now time to do so.
“The Nigerian governors’ wives have worked very hard over the past year to follow up on all that is required for an effective GBV response across states in Nigeria,” she said.
“Even though it is encouraging to note that at least 30 states have signed the VAPP, the remaining six need to be encouraged to do so as soon as possible. The lives of women and children continue to be at risk.
“Efforts need to be ramped up to provide adequate shelter and care for victims of GBV. Every state should have a shelter, ideally every LG or at least senatorial district should have one.
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“It is also very important to have sexual assault referral centres or safe spaces where victims can receive the required immediate and long-term support.
“We need special courts, where applicable, for speedy and effective handling of rape and GBV cases. Justice delayed is justice denied. If victims do not get the justice they deserve, they will never have closure and we will like for them to be known as survivors and not just victims.”
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, who is Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, said a national secretariat for the NGWF would be established to support the end to SGBV.
Governor Fayemi said that the entire responsibility of ending SGBV would also be domesticated at other relevant ministries, not solely at the Ministry of Women Affairs.
He added that the 36 states governors were committed to domesticating the VAPP Act in 31 states, including the Federal Capital Territory.
